THE 2017 Micklegate Run soapbox challenge brought 20,000 people and more than £1.2 million into the city, organisers have confirmed.

Researchers were out on the street on the day of the soapbox challenge in August, and their findings show the second soapbox run brought in £1.2 million for the York economy - much higher than 2016's figure of £600,000.

Shelagh Garside, who runs Curtain Up on Micklegate and is chairman of the street's business initiative, said:

"The event was a success for Micklegate, obviously, but it was a success for the whole of York as well. It brought in a substantial amount of money for the city.

"People stayed on the street much longer, and the total spend was double that spent the previous year."

With the races in their second year, Shelagh said visitors and spectators were more confident about what to expect on the day, while extra attractions kept people out and about for longer.

"We had the funfair and extended things over Ouse Bridge, and we had a good food court this year as well."

The research also shows the event brought an extra 1,000 overnight visitors to York, boosting trade for hotels and restaurants as well.

The businesses are already looking forward to the Micklegate Run 2018, likely to take place on the August Bank Holiday Monday once again. Planning will start in earnest in January, but the hunt is already on for sponsors to help stage the event. Both the 2016 and 2017 events have been sponsored by Autohorn, and the traders thanked the firm for its invaluable support.

Next year will also see the return of street's popular yarn storm, which took place in July 2017 and saw shop front and railings covered in colourful knitted flowers.

Both the soapbox challenge and the yarn storm are organised by the Micklegate Business Initiative, and Shelagh said the efforts over the last couple of years have made a noticeable difference to the street.

"Now when we have empty shops they get taken straight away. Micklegate is becoming a go-to destination for food and drink as well, and we have some very good restaurants like Skosh, Partisan and The Rattle Owl.

"The perception of Micklegate has changed - it used to be about drunken rowdiness because of the Micklegate Run pub crawl but now people see it in a totally different way."